Which material is described as being split and spalled?

Which material is described as being split and spalled?

• A. Concrete
• B. Masonry
• C. Steel
• D. Wood

Answer: (B)

Split and spalled describes a deterioration pattern where pieces peel away or break off from the surface. This is most common in masonry, which is made of individual units like bricks, blocks, or stones held together with mortar. When moisture gets in and freeze-thaw cycles or salts are involved, the mortar and units weaken and flake off or crack along joints. The surface then appears chipped, with chunks of the outer layer separating—characteristic spalling. Steel or wood don’t typically show this unit-by-unit flaking in the same way, and concrete spalling tends to be more about chunks breaking away from a solid mass rather than the split unit appearance you see in masonry. So the material described as being split and spalled is masonry.

Split and spalled describes a deterioration pattern where pieces peel away or break off from the surface. This is most common in masonry, which is made of individual units like bricks, blocks, or stones held together with mortar. When moisture gets in and freeze-thaw cycles or salts are involved, the mortar and units weaken and flake off or crack along joints. The surface then appears chipped, with chunks of the outer layer separating—characteristic spalling. Steel or wood don’t typically show this unit-by-unit flaking in the same way, and concrete spalling tends to be more about chunks breaking away from a solid mass rather than the split unit appearance you see in masonry. So the material described as being split and spalled is masonry.